Portable printing equipment



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PORTABLE PRINTING EQUIPMENT Original Filed July 26, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 E VA/vaEMA/v I May 7, 1957 v. scHREcKENGosT ETAL 2,791,323

PORTABLE PRINTING EQUIPMENT Original Filed Ju1y 26, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

V/Kra? Senken/sms ByJc/r E. V4 EMA/v l Arran/Veys May 7, 1957 v. scHREcKENGosT ETAL S 2,791,323-

PoR'rABLE: PRINTING EQUIPMENT original Filed July 26, 1954 I sheets-sheets May 7, 1957 v. scHREcKl-:NGOST ETAL 2,791,323

A PORTABLE PRINTING EQUIPMENT Original Filed July 26, 1954 I I 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS v VIKTDR ScHnscKe-Naosr BY IJ'ACK VNQEMN E' @5% gw Arr RNEYS United States Patent PORTABLE PRINTING EQUIPMENT Viktor Schreckengost, Cleveland Heights, and .lack E. Vandeman, Berea, Ohio, assignors to Harris-Seybold Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application July 18, 1956, Serial No. 598,979

12 Claims. (Cl. 206-46) 4This invention relates to improvements in portable printing equipment. More particularly it has to do with a heavy commercial printing press having a base forming 'an essential ystructural element `of .the press and preferably provided with integral floor or ground engaging portions in the form of skids, and an enclosing structure mounted upon the base and separably connected therewith, including closures preferably in the form of one or more sel-f supporting cabinets for holding tools, replacement parts, supplie-s land other equipment and provided with tables or other work surfaces for the use of the operators of the press. This application is a continuation of our copending application Serial No. 445,684, `tiled July 26, 1954, which was in turn a 'continuation-im part of our then -copending lapplication Serial No. 213,399, filed March l, 1951, both now abandoned.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of portable printing equipment embodying a commercial printing press, that is, a press of sturdy construction weighing usually in the thousands of pounds and capable of ydoing first class, high speed printing of -accurate registration such as is required for multi-'color Work, maps and the like.

Another object is `the provision of equipment of this character which may be readily transported by yairplane or motor truck from place to place as a single package, the equipment embodying a printing press that is ready for work as `soon as the walls enclosing the upper portion of the press are removed and the cabinets forming a part of the enclosing structure are shifted to a convenient position adjacent the press.

Another object is the provision of a printing machine `base which functions also as the base of an enclosing structure for the upper portion of the press, which str-ucture also holds supplies for the press, thus facilitating the handling of the complete heavy package by lift truck-s or cranes, and preferably provided with skids for facilitating movement of Ithe complete equipment or of the press over supporting surfaces.

`Still another `object is the provision of a skeleton frame, mounted on the base for the accommodation of the side and top closure walls, of such form that it may remain in place while the machine is being operated but which may be removed in the event that major servicing of the machine should become necessary.

IOther objects and features of novelty will .appear as we proceed with the description of that embodiment of the 4invention which, for the purposes of the present application, we have illustrated in the 4accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a schematic view in perspective of the clos-ure elements and the base of the press, with the upper portions of the press removed and showing the closure members disconnected `from the press base.

Figs. 2 and 3 :are perspective views on a larger scale showing the self-supporting cabinets that preferably constitte the end closures of the package.

`Fig. 4 is a side elevational View, partly in longitudinal section, taken behind-one side wall of the enclosing structure and looking toward the -other side wall, the poratented May 7, 1957 tions of the printing press above its base being indicated in dot and dash lines.

Fig. 5 is a fragmental end view of the press base showing the preferred construction involving skids connected together and ledges extending Ifrom the skids.

fFigs. 6 and 7 are fragmental detail sectional views on a larger scale, taken substantially along the lines 6-6 and 7 7 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a fragmental detail perspective View, partly in section, illustrating the lower right hand corner of the skeleton frame as viewed in Fig. l.

Fig. 9 is a detail perspective View of a quickly separable fastening which may be employed to clamp certain closure members together.

Fig. l0 is a detail sectional View illustrating the means for securing the side iframe members of the machine to the machine base, and

Fig. 1l is a perspective view of the base and lside fname members of the press with the skeleton frame of the enclosure in place, the working parts of lthe press being omit-ted -for the sake of clearness in illustration.

in the drawings the common base of the machine and enclosing structure comprises two 4skids lit which must have considerable strength and rigidity. Preferably they are composed of four strips of heavy sheet metal welded together to form elongated boxes the ends of which are curved upwardly like sled runners. A welded box section 11 is interposed between the two skids and welded thereto. Beyond this box section in both direction-s there are metal plates 12 `and 13 which are also preferably welded at their edges to box section 11 and skids 10.

yNear the ends of the two skids nuts t4 are welded into the upper strips of the skids and within these nuts are threaded jackscrews y15 having universally movable feet 16 which are normally rai-sed as indicated in Fig. 4 so as to present no obstacle to the movement of the skids over the ground or other supporting surface. Holes 17 in the bottom plates of the skids clear the feet 16 when the handle 18 slid-ably mounted in the head of the screw is turned to depress the feet. -By manipulating handles 18 on the four screws the base 10, 11 may be leveled even though resting upon uneven ground, and to aid in this procedure a universal dome spirit level 19 is mounted on the base near the center point thereof.

Grooves 2t) and 21 are machined in the upper plates of the skids, which grooves receive portions 22 and 23 of side frame members or elements 31 and 36 of the printing press, the outline of which is indicated in Fig. 4 by the dot and dash lines 24. The side frame members are rigidly fastened to the skids 10 by bolts indicated at 25 in |Figs. 5, l0 and l1. The side frame members of the press are thus rigidly connected together at the bottom by the base of the press. They are connected and rigidly braced higher up -by cross bars, some of which are indicated in Fig. l] at to 95 inclusive. Thus the base, side frames 31, 36 and cross bars form structural framework of the press.

On the outer sides of each of the skids 1d there is a sheet metal ledge 26 that is welded to the side of the skid and to brackets 27 mounted on the skid. These ledges support the skeleton framework that comprises four metal posts 23 of Z section preferably. This framework is attached to the ledges 26 and remains so attached in the normal use of the package, but the connections are such that it may be removed if desired when the printing press requires servicing of a major character. To this end there is interposed between the lower extremities of the posts on each side of the machine a channel bar 29, as indicated in Fig. 8, its ends being welded to the posts. Flat head bolts 3Q extending through holes in the channel 29 serve to fasten the sub-assembly of channel bar and posts to the ledge plate Z6, see particularly Fig. 7. As

3 a further fastening and steadying means we provide the posts with gussets 32 that have feet 33 which are also bolted to the base ledge 26.

The upper ends of the posts 28 have Welded thereto an upper frame assembly of X shape consisting of two bars 34 and a small plate 35 joined together by welds. lt will be obvious that this entire skeleton frame consisting of the channels 29, the posts 28 and the crossed bars 34 with the plate 35, may be removed from the base if necessary, although ordinarily it remains xed in position as shown in Fig. 1.

For convenience in handling, each side wall of the package is made up of two or more panels. The bottom edge of the lower panel 37 fits into the channel bar 29 and its side edges bear against the inner anges of the posts 28. The panel may have clips at its ends of the character illustrated at 38 in Fig. 6 to engage behind the llange and thus prevent accidental displacement. Along the upper edge of the panel 37 there is secured a Z bar 39. The upper panel 40 engages this Z bar member and likewise rests against the inner flanges of posts 28. The side wall panels on both sides of the package may be identical, and it will be understood that a single panel or more than two panels may be used in each wall if desired.

The top Wall of the package may comprise a plurality of panels, two such panels 42 and 43 being shown. Panel 42 carries a Z bar 44 on the lower flange of which the panel 43 rests. Along the outer edges of both panels 42 and 43 inverted 45 channels are secured. When the parts are assembled these channels fit over the upper edges of the side panels 40 and hold them in place. They also help to brace the skeleton framework by taking strains that may tend to force toward each other the upper ends of the two posts 2S on one side of the package.

The closures for the two ends of the package are shown at 47 and 48. Preferably they are cabinets and have quite an appreciable thickness endwise of the package in order to accommodate tools, replacement parts and various other things which may be useful to the operators of the machine. Such thickness also enables the cabinets to stand alone and upright in working position on a loor or other supporting surface when removed from the press base for use by the operators.

As shown in the drawing each cabinet has side walls 50, a top wall 51 and a transverse wall 52 forming the back of the cabinet. The side walls may have handles 53 for the convenience of workmen in handling the cabinets. Wheels or casters, not shown, may also be provided if desired for moving the cabinets into and out of their assembled position. The top walls 51 are disposed at the same height as the top panels 42 and 43, and they have metal Z bars 54 attached thereto, the lower anges of which receive and support the transverse edges of the panels 42 and 43. These bars also reinforce the top walls 51 and assist them in taking any strain which may tend to force toward each other the upper ends of the posts 28 at that end of the skeleton frame.

When the cabinets are pushed into position on the base the side walls 50 slide in behind the outer flanges of the posts 28, see particularly Fig. 8. In this manner the cabinets are accurately positioned substantially flush with the side panels 37, 40. The internal construction of the cabinets may vary to lit the requirements of the particular machine forming part of the package. In the illustrated instance the cabinets are intended for use in connection 48. A bin for Sponges and cleaning cloths is shown at with a rotary olsct printing press. Spare ink rollers are indicated at 60 in cabinet 47. Other rollers, which could be dampening rollers, are shown at 61 in cabinet 62 in cabinet 47. Shelves and cupboards are indicated at various positions for various purposes. In cabinet 47 there is shown a shelf 63 with a work surface on which is an ink mixing tablet 64. In cabinet 48 there is a desk 65 with a hingedlid 66 which may be used by the operator as an inspection table for printed sheets.`

Cabinet 47 is mounted at the feed end of the press, while cabinet 48 is at the delivery end. When the package is deposited in a selected location and opened for use the two cabinets are removed from the machine base and swung around into a convenient position near the press but spaced away from it just far enough not to interfere with the press operation while remaining within convenient reach of the operators.

Certain parts of the machine extend endwise further than other parts, as indicated especially in Fig. 4. The end closures are designed to provide space to accommodate these parts, thus reducing the length of the complete package. Also where the dimensions of the machine permit, a portion of cabinet 48 projects inwardly somewhat beyond its side walls, as in the case of the desk 65.

Suitable means are provided for conveniently connecting chains from a crane to enable the entire package to be lifted as a unit and moved by power means. As shown herein this may be effected by mounting arms 67 with eyes 67' on pivots 63 that are adapted to swing in lugs 69 welded to the outer sides of skids 10.

Thus they may be swung to inoperative position shown at the right hand end of Fig. 4 or into operative position as shown at the left hand end of the same figure. Pins 70 loosely mounted in holes in the upper lugs 69 serve to hold the arms 67 in the outer position.

In order that the package may be opened or closed quickly without tools and with a minimum of labor, the various components are clamped together with lever type fastenings of the sort indicated generally at 72 and shown somewhat in detail in Fig. 9. In this figure a link 73 with a hook extremity is pivotally mounted at 74 in a bifurcated lever 75, the lever being mounted on a pivot 76 carried by a bracket 77 secured to one of the parts to be drawn together. A second bracket 78 on the same part carries a removable pin 79 which may be disposed to hold the lever in operative position. The hooked end of link 73 takes into a notch in a plate 80 mounted in the other part to be clamped. In the case of the ends of the skids a notch 81 is formed directly in the metal of the skid. These clamps are employed between the base ledges l 26 and the side panels 37, between the side panels 37 and 40, between the side panels 40 and the top panels 42 and 43, between the top panels 42, 43 and the tops 51 of the cabinets, between the side panels 37, 40 and the cabinets, and between the cabinets and the base.

It will be apparent therefore that the present invention satisfies an important need, especially a need of the armed forces. Frequently time is of the essence, as for example in psychological Warfare. When the time is right to drop surrender leaflets over enemy strong points, or to tell enemy civilians what they cannot learn from their censored news sources, psychological warfare must be able to produce and deliver printed material immediately. There is no time to route such projects through government or commercial printing plants. Many such jobs should be handled overnight, from conception to production to distribution. With the equipment of the present invention the portable package may be own to an advanced base, and what amounts to a prefabricated pressroom set up for business in a space of two hours or less. Another important use of the equipment is in the reproduction of aerial photographs and in the printing of maps and charts in several colors, all accomplished at the front and in time to be of use while the information disclosed therein is fresh.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

l. In portable printing equipment, a printing machine comprising side frame elements and comprising a rectangular elongated base including a pair of longitudinally disposed spaced apart hollow metal skids, the upper surfaces of said skids being provided with recesses into which the side frame elements of the machine fit, means rigidly connecting said side frame elements to said skids, a plurality of closure sections for protecting the machine during shipment or storage, and means separably securing said closure sections together and to said base independently of said side frame elements to form a rigid structural unit, said closure sections carrying printing supplies and when removed from said base and arranged around said machine comprising complete printing facilities for the use of the machine operator.

2. In portable printing equipment, a printing machine comprising side frame elements, a rectangular elongated base including as an integral part of the base a pair of longitudinally disposed spaced apart skids and bridging means between the skids comprising a transverse reinforcing element, the upper surfaces of said skids being provided with recesses into which the side frame elements of the machine fit, means rigidly connecting said side frame elements to each other and to said skids, a skeleton frame mounted on the base independently of said machine, a plurality of closure sections for protecting the machine during shipment or storage, and means separably securing said closure sections together, to said skeleton frame and to said base to form a rigid structural unit.

3. ln portable printing equipment, a printing machine having side frame elements, a base comprising as an integral part thereof a pair of spaced apart skids rigidly connected together and a ledge extending laterally from each skid, the ends of said base extending beyond the machine ends and the ledges extending beyond the sides of said machine, means rigidly connecting said side frame elements to said base, a` skeleton frame carried on said ledges and extending over the top of said machine, a plurality of closure sections for protecting the machine during shipment or storage, said closure sections being supported by the portions of said base extending outwardly from the machine and by the skeleton frame, and means separably securing said closure sections together to said skeleton frame and to said base to form a rigid structural unit adapted to prevent damage to the machine during shipment, at least one of said closure sections comprising a work cabinet the lower end of which has ground engaging portions adapted to rest upon a flat support and maintain the cabinet in upright position when the cabinet is removed from the base and disposed in position for use of the machine operator.

4. Portable printing equipment according to claim 3 in which the skeleton frame is mounted on said ledges out of the way of the machine operator during operation of. the machine and is detachable from said base to permit access to said machine for repair work.

5. In a portable package of the character described, a machine having a rectangular elongated base comprising as an integral part thereof a pair of longitudinally disposed skids spaced apart, said machine having side frame elements rigidly connected to said base, said base extending laterally in both directions beyond said skids, a pair of spaced side posts secured at their lower ends to each side of said base adjacent the outer edges thereof, upper crossed frame members joining the two pairs of side posts, a side wall disposed between the posts on each side of the structure, a top wall carried by said crossed frame members, end cabinets supported on said base and separably attached to said side and top walls, and a reinforcing member carried at the top of each cabinet disposed between the posts on opposite sides of the package.

6. In a packing case structure, a base, a pair of spaced side posts secured at their lower ends to each side of said base, said posts being metallic members having inner and outer parallel flanges, upper frame members joining the posts on one side to those on the other side, side walls disposed between the posts on each side outwardly of the inner flanges of the posts, a top wall carried by said upper frame members, a pair of end cabinets resting upon said base facing inwardly toward each other and bridging the space between transversely opposite posts, the outer anges of said posts overlapping said cabinets, the tops of the cabinets being flush with said top wall, and means separably attaching said cabinets lo said side and top walls and to said base.

7. In a packing case structure, a rectangular elongated base comprising a pair of longitudinally dis-posed skids spaced apart for receiving and supporting the side trame elements of a machine to be carried, said base extending laterally in both directions beyond said skids, a pair of spaced side posts on each side of said base adjacent the outer edges thereof, a channel member interposed between .and permanently joined to the lower ends of the posts on each side of the case, means removably attaching said channels to said base, upper `frame members joining the upper ends of the posts on `opposite sides of the case, a side wail disposed between the posts on each side of the case and received within the corresponding channel, a top wall carried fby said upper frame members, said posts having ou-ter flanges directed toward the ends of the oase, end cabinets supported on said base and bea-ring on the inner sides of said outer flanges, and means separably securing said cabinets to said side and top walls and to said base.

8. In a packing case structure, a base, a pair of spaced side posts lon `each side of said base, the lower ends of which 'are secured to the base, an upper frame of X form secured to the upper ends of said posts, a side wall mounted between the posts at each side of the case, a top wall carried iby said upper frame having longitudinal reinforcing elements along its side edges projecting over the upper edges of the side walls, and lclosure unit-s for the ends of the case extending between transversely opposed posts, said closure units having transverse reinforcing -elements iat their upper ends receiving and supporting the transverse edges of said top wall, and means separably securing together the top and side walls, and the side walls and base, and separably securing the end closure units to the ibase, side walls and top.

9. Portable printing equipment comprising a rigid printing press base member, spaced apart side frame mem-bers rigidly attached to said base member, rigid cross members joining the upper portions of said side frame members, said base member, side frame members and cross members rforming structural framework of a commercial printing press, said base member being an essential structural element of said framework and having ground lor oor engaging portions integral therewith, a plurality of closure members supported on said printing press Ibase member, means for -separably securing said closure members to each other and to said printing press base member, said printing press base member and said closure members when in such secu-red position forming a protective enclosing structure for the portion of said framework which is above said printing press base member.

l0. Portable printing equipment as claimed in claim 9 wherein said printing press base member comprises extensions integral therewith extending beyond the juncture of said side frame members and said base member and ywherein certain of said closure members are supported upon said extensions.

1l. Portable printing equipment as claimed in claim 9 wherein at least one lof said closure members comprises a work cabinet having lan end wall :and side walis and being capable of standing alone 'in Working position when removed from said base, said cabinet :being arranged when in closure position on said base to receive a portion of said framework of the press between sai-d side walls.

l2. Portable printing equipment as claimed in claim 9, Iwherein at least one of said closure members comprises a work cabinet capable of standing alone in working position when removed rfrom said Ibase, said cabinet comprising shelf storage means, said shelf means being so disposed that the cabinet when in closure position is adapted -to receive a portion of said framework of the press.

No references cited. 

